Heartland is a realistic portrayal of a Singaporean boy’s search for identity. Do you agree?

Heartland is a realistic portrayal of a Singaporean boy’s search for identity. Do you agree?

1. Yes, it is realistic

1.1. Realism is shown throughout the novel, as life in Singapore in reality is depicted accurately in many parts of the novel.

1.1.1. Surroundings

1.1.1.1. Buildings, such as blocks of HDB flats, are said to "look the same". It suggests that Singapore is rather plain/dull.

1.1.1.2. More than 60% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats, which often have duplicates of the same blocks around the neighbourhood.

1.1.2. Economic

1.1.2.1. Wing is described as generally not very well-off. May describes him as "ngeow", stingy.

1.1.2.2. Many Singaporeans can sympathise with Wing as a large percentage of us cannot afford to live in luxury, like he does, and we are "stingy" as a result.

1.1.3. Relationships

1.1.3.1. Wing fails at his relationship once before having a girlfriend who he seems to be comfortable around.

1.1.3.2. In real life, it is unlikely that people succeed in their relationships on the first try, and may take several relationships to get something right.

1.1.4. Education

1.1.4.1. Wing goes to a JC after secondary school, meets friends, does badly in several subjects and well in others.

1.1.4.2. Almost every child in Singapore goes through the education system, many of them opting for a good JC to go to. Many of these students often have subjects they are weak/strong in.

2. No, it is not realistic

2.1. Heartland is not a realistic portrayal of a Singaporean boy's search for identity. Yes, he does go through tough time when growing up in the heartlands like balancing between his studies and friends, his girlfriend, Chloe and then going through National Service. Later on he breaks up with Chloe because of their social class and he later finds another girl, May Ling. However, Wing isn't the only one going through this, every other boy in Singapore does as well. It's not necessarily considered a search for identity because Wing just doesn't know who he is yet.

2.1.1. During the time in JC, he had friends like Sham and Audrey. He even had a girlfriend named Chloe. From here, we can see that other people is also going throught all this, and not Wing alone.

2.1.2. Even Chloe is also searching to try and find their identity. They felt different and weird when they asked more about each other.

2.1.3. Later, he broke up with Chloe because of the difference in social class and others, and left for NS.

2.1.4. In there, he still could not find where he fits in and he was not the only one doing that, as his other mates also tried to find an answer for their own.

2.1.5. The evidence can be supported by the novel telling that it is not realistic and many of the analysis above when Wing was in NS.

3. Key words & ideas

3.1. realistic portrayal

3.1.1. definition

3.1.1.1. realistic: given to the representation of things as they really are.

3.1.1.2. portrayal: depicting or representing

3.2. search for identity

3.2.1. where does Wing fit in the society?

3.2.1.1. Not to sure of oneself.

3.2.1.2. Failed two relationship with Chloe and then later May

3.2.2. What type of abilities does one have and its weakness.

3.2.3. Where do they belong?

3.3. Singaporean

3.3.1. The people in Singapore especially the males this question is referring to

3.3.2. a person that is responsible to protect their country and their heritage.